Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: March 27, 2023 by Crystal Uys
Written by Mary Kennedy
When I tell people I’m a mystery writer, they picture my life as glamorous and exciting, filled with an endless round of power lunches and research trips to exotic locales. What they forget is that ninety percent of my time is spent hunched in front of the computer, wrestling my characters and plots into submission. A writer’s life can be a surprisingly solitary one.
And that’s where my cats come in. I have eight rescued cats and they bring enormous joy to my life. They spend much of the day with me (when they’re not snoozing or just chilling on the glassed-in sun porch) and their quiet presence is comforting.
You’re never alone when you have a houseful of cats; there’s always someone who needs a pat on the head, a belly rub or a quick snuggle. My cats have very different personalities and I enjoy them all.
Oliver is an aristocratic cat and I could picture him at Downton Abbey, chatting with Lord Grantham in another life. Always dignified, Oliver is keenly intelligent with a somewhat demanding meow. Oliver is a cat who knows what he wants in life (food, attention) and he doesn’t hesitate to let his wishes be known. After all, we mere mortals are here to serve him!
Henry is “my little sociopath.” Henry was a neighborhood cat. People fed him, but never adopted him. When I rescued him, I could see why. I called him “Gladiator Cat,” because he would run into the house for dinner, terrorize my cats and then go racing out the door. It took a great deal of time to tame him. How did I do it? I set the buzzer for twenty minutes every day and devoted that time to Henry. I took him on the porch and brushed him, pet him, played with him and made him feel special. All the while, the other cats were watching through the glass door, wondering why “the evil cat” was getting so much attention. It paid off. Henry’s behavior has improved dramatically.
Eliza and Clyde are resilient cats. Clyde, a beat-up Tom cat, refused to come inside, but brought his pregnant girl friend, a cute little tuxedo cat, for dinner one night. It was bitterly cold and he stood by and guarded her while she ate. I managed to lure her onto the sun porch and she gave birth to five kittens two days later!! Meanwhile, Clyde continued to be on the prowl, but I eventually trapped him and now he is a happy house cat.
Fur-Face, an adorable calico, is one of their kittens—she’s playful and intelligent, first in line at dinner time.
Calpurnia is Eliza’s daughter from a previous litter. She’s a lovely cat with a shy personality. Since she was four months old when I managed to rescue her, she’s semi-feral and I am the only one who can pet her.
I found Oscar outside a neighbor’s house in the pouring rain. The neighbors were away and Oscar was too terrified to let me pick him up. I went back to feed him three days in a row and finally managed to catch him in a beach towel. He loves attention, adores cuddling and seems grateful for his home.
Shadow was curled up in the rain, weak and emaciated, under a bush in the garden. He was starving, missing half his fur and wolfed down two cans of cat food. He looks quite handsome with his lion cut for summer and has such a sweet personality.
All my cats have taught me so much; how to be resilient and get through hard times, how to enjoy simple pleasures like a warm breeze on a sunny day and how to offer unconditional love. And best of all, I never have to spend a lonely hour at the computer, I now have plenty of friendly cats to offer me companionship.
I included two fictional cats, Barney and Scout, in Nightmares Can Be Murder. I thought about giving them magic powers or making them psychic, and then I decided to make them “loveable housecats,” just like my pets.
Mary Kennedy is a licensed psychologist in private practice and the author of The Dream Club Mysteries and the Talk Radio Mysteries. She lives on the East Coast with her husband and eight neurotic cats. Both husband and cats have resisted all her attempts to psychoanalyze them, but she remains optimistic. You can learn more at www.marykennedy.net or www.cozychicksblog.com where she blogs every Saturday.
Coming this Friday: Win an Autographed Copy of
Nightmares Can Be Murder
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
Wonderful article! Love the pictures, especially Furnace! Happy New Year, looking forward to your next Dream Club and new cat pics and stories!
Hi Jeanie, thank you so much for reading the article and commenting. New Dream Club release in the spring–there’s another murder in Savannah and the Dream Club will do their best to bring the killer to justice.
Hi Deborah, so glad you liked the article! Interesting about Marley (what a great name!). I guess animals can’t be psychoanalyzed, I have been trying for years. 🙂 mary
Haha! I am laughing! Love the cats! At one time I had four, now I am mom to a chocolate lab named Marley! Love him, too! My daughter, a licensed clinical psychologist (August 2014) tries to analyze the dog but its a hopeless case!
So glad everyone enjoyed hearing about my fur-babies!! And I’m glad I’m not alone in my efforts to rescue cats. Sometimes I wonder if I’ve crossed over into “Crazy Cat Lady” territory, but that’s okay. It’s actually a fun place to be!
Great article. Ty so much. Henry looks so naughty 🙂
Diana, rikki and lucy
Love this!!! And, of course, we must put books by cat loving authors ahead of all others….
Our first indoor rescue LUCKY (ginger & white like your Clyde, but rescued from a mailbox) would tell my husband when to put his writing down & they’d take a break together.
Purr-fectly p-awesome!
This is so true! I’ve had cats who were excellent editors. My Helper Cat Bud assists by stretching over the keyboard so it will never be lonely!
I loved reading this. Twelve cats (although I have to admit I was initially confused thinking that Allegra and Ruby had so many siblings! ha!)!!!! I was glad to read that one is a “sociopath” who mellowed out. I am trying a similar technique with my stray cat. I see improvements, but if my cats have taught me any things, they’re: patience and tenacity. Cats are teachers in elegant coats! Nice article!
How wonderful that she has opened to her home to save these lives….and hear how much they give back.
Cats can be found. Kato has given usmanyvhoursxof pleasure.
Awesome. Thank you so much for making me not feel alone. I too have eight (yep, eight count ’em) rescued cats. Visualize arched eyebrows and disdainful sniffs from the uninitiated. It is glorious to read about yours. Starlight, Hutch, Fred, Zoe, Missy, Jenny, Piper, and Cub send high paws to you and yours. One thing is certain, we will never lack for material!
I’d love to read her books…anyone who rescues kitties in similar number yo me (12) has got to be awesome!